Picture machines



1 mm 951 March 927 J. E. ROBIN FOR FIRE PROTECTION IN MOVING PICTURE MACHINES METHOD AND APFARATUS 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Sept. 10- 1920 y F I I F 'E l I T ll i J 5 E 4 i 7 5 5 g 1:. j o o I o 13 mm!!! I 4 March 8 1927. 1,619,957

J, E. ROBIN METHOD AND APP/ anus FOR FIREWPROTECTION IN uovme mc'i'fias lucnmss Filed Sept. 10. 1920 I 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Mar. 8, 1927.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOSEPH E. ROBIN, OF NEW YORK, N.

Application filed September 10, 1920. Serial No. 409,356.

This invention relates broadly to moving picture apparatus and more specially to fire extinguishing devices therefor adapted to utilize fluids which clean the film and simultaneously extinguish fire.

The principal object of the present invention -is moving picture apparatus comprising a film housing provided with an an tomatic lire extinguisher adapted to spray non-injuring tire extinguishing fluid around the film to extinguish accidental fires.

Another objectof the present invention is a film housing for a moving picture pro jecting machine, which housing is provided on the exterior with a container for tire extinguishing liquid in which the materials of the film are non-soluble, and with a releasing valve for releasing the fire extinguishing fluid when the heat in the housing exceeds a predetermined degree.

A still further and more specific object of the present invention is a film housing for moving picture projecting machines provided with a container for carbon tetrachloride, or the like, with the nozzle for the container controlled by a fusible plug or link in such manner that the carbon tetrachloride is released into the film housing when the temperature in the housing exceeds a predetermined degree.

The present invention also includes the method of extinguishing fires in moving picture films by means of submerging or spraying the film with a fire extinguishing fluid in which the constituents of the film are substantially non-soluble whereby accidental fires are extinguished and the film simultaneously cleaned.

More specially, the present invention comprises the method of extinguishing moving picture film fires in projecting machines or the like, by use of carbon tetrachloride automatically released adjacent the path of the film.

Other and further objects of the presen invention will in part be obvious and will in part be pointed out hereinafter in the specification following by reference to the accompanying drawings wherein liltcparts are represented by like characters througl-tout the seve al figures thereof.

Realizing that the present invention may be carried out in embodiments other than those specifically shown and described herein it is desired that the present disclosure shall be considered as illustrative and not in the limiting sense. 7

Figure l is a diagrammatic elevational view illustrating one embodin'ient of the apparatus comprising the present invention and for carrying out the present methods.

Figure 2 is an end clevatio nal view of the device illustrated in Figure 1.

Figure 3 is an enlarged detail View of one form of apparatus for carrying out the present invention and illustrating the parts more or less diagrantmatically.

A large majority of films used in projectinc machines are of the inflammable type and in view of the present practice of utilizing intensely powert'ul arc projecting lamps it is not unusual for the film to be set on fire upon which the lamp rays are concentrated.

The common way of preventing such fires at. the projection window from reaching into the film housing is to provide the. film housing with well known fire gates which comprise in most cases a plurality of heavy rollers two or more of which may be gravity operated together, through which the film runs and which are adapted to extinguish the film fire pinching out the flame or 3.] conducting away the heat. so'rapidly that the film beyond the rollers does not burn. Other devices have been proposed comprising shutter knives intended to operate a sutficient. distance from the start of the fire to cut off the burning part and seal the housing prior to the fiame reaching within the housing. However the housing must have doors and more or less openings through which flames may enter and reach the reel of film. Such prior devices have been fairly satisfactory but the danger of fire is so great, especially while film is in motion, and heated by intense light at the focal plane, it is necessary that the tire extinguishing device shall be substantially 100 per cent perfect and the mechanical devices previously referred to do not reach that degree of perfection. It is not infrequent that such mechanical devices fail and destruction of valuable films as well as serious disasters result from such failures.

The present invention overcomes the ditficultics of the known art by providing a method and apparatus which depends more specially on submerging the film in a fire extinguishing fluid, than it does upon mechanical cooling. The present invention comprises the use of a non-film-injuring fluid which is automatically released into the film housing when the temperature in the film or the adjacent housing rcachesa danger point. The film when in use, is highly heated over a relatively large area and this area is moving rapidly so that the whole heated area may ignite substantially simultaneously and therefore the fire may comprise a slow burning explosion. Under these circum stances the fire extinguishing fluid is released so quickly that the fire is put out almost as soon as it starts and long before it reaches the full reel of film and therefore danger is obviated prior to the danger point being reached.

In carrying out the present invention a container for fluid preferably liquid carbon tetrachloride is mounted adjacent the film housing with a nozzle extending into the housing, preferably near the point where the film issues from the housing. The nozzle may be controlled by various types of fusible connections or plugs so that prior to the danger point being reached the fluid contents from the container are released. I have discovered that the films are not readily soluble in carbon tetrachloride so therefore this liquid does not injure the film but rather assists in cleaning the film. By using carbon tetrachloride or the like I am able to extinguish the fire and at the same time clean the film. This is very important because fire causes distortion and shrinkage of the film as well as smoke and deposition on the film of burned particles which otherwise tend to scratch and ruin the film unless removed. The carbon tetrachloride effectively performs the function of curing these troubles very satisfactorily.

Referring now to the drawings, the film housing 1 is of the usual type and is provided on one side with the usual door 2 to facilitate the placing and removal of rolls of film. The film i may pass through the usual film guides into the projector 5 and over sprocket rolls 6 and 8 with the projection window 7 intermediate the rollers, and the film may continue and be received in the lower housing, not shown, which is of similar construction to the upper housing 1. The lamp 9 is illustrated diagrammatically, and the lamp rays fall upon condenser lenses 10 which concentrate the rays upon the film at the projection window 7.

The sides of the housing 1 (also the lower housing not shown) opposite to the door thereof are provided with a removable container, preferably a glass bottle 11 which holds a fire extinguishing fluid 12 which may comprise carbon tetrachloride or the like. This glass bottle 11 is equipped with a stopper 13 that carries a nozzle 14. This nozzle 14 preferably is capped by a removable cap valve 15 which is held in position means of a spring 21.

by a fusible link mechanism 16. The fusible link controlling the release of the liquid may be positioned at any convenicnt placc in the apparatus but preferably is arranged double, one on the inside and the other on the outside of the film housing while the sprinkler head preferably is inside the film housing. The fusible link mechanism ma be of various types of construction but pre erably comprises a fusible link 17 arranged adjacent the path of the film travel and ex,- tending into the projector while the other link 18 is within the housing. These fusible links are connected with suitable arms that retain the yalve cap 15 in position to close the nozzle. The parts preferably are ar ranged to fall apart by gravity but maybe assisted in being tripped or released by The container may fit into a suitable removable bracket 22 and extend into a cup bracket 23 that is provided with a sealing felt ring 24. The side of the housing 1 is provided with an opening 25 through which the nozzle extends and the base of the housing may have an opening 26 through which the arms 19 and 20 enter into the projector.

It will be noted that the glass container 10 is preferably arranged in inverted posi tion so that the contents thereof will be discharged by gravity, although preferably the contents in the container are under gas pressure so that the liquid is discharged with considerable force sufiicient to thoroughly spray the entire film. Preferably the apparatus is so arranged that when the nozzle is uncapped the complete contents of the container will be discharged and to this end no cut-off mechanism is provided. Therefore if the apparatus is discharged it is necessary for the operator to replace the same with an entirely new container before proceeding, this insuring the device to be always ready for operation. Since carbon tetrachloride does not dissolve the emulsion on the film it does not injure the film, so that in carrying out the present invention if the film' ignites, the links part and the whole housing is flooded with carbon tetrachloride or the like. This keeps the flame from flashing into the housing, keeps the smoke and burned particles out of the housing and covers the film with a cleansing compound. "When the fire is extinguished the operator removes the film, wipes ofl the liquid and with it the adhering dust and dirt and thus not only is the tire extinguished and the film protected but the film is also cleaned.

Furthermore since the extinguishing liquid is released within the housing adjacent the film outlet, the'fiuid will flow from the housing in the direction of travel of the film and at a greater speed than the travel of the film. This is important since the film BED will run during the short interval between the time when the film starts to burn and fed, a container for fire extinguishing liquid mounted upon the outside of said housing,

a conduit leading from said container and terminating within said housing, means for normally closing the end of said conduit, said means comprising a fusible link mounted adjacent the path of movement of said film as it is being fed from said housing, and fire extinguishing liquid under pressure in said containerwhercby said housing is sprayed with said liquid when said fusible link parts.

2. In a moving picture projecting machine, a film housing, a projector upon which said film housing is mounted, a conduit extending into said film housing and being provided with an opening adjacent the normal path of film leading from said housing, and means for closing said opening, said means comprising a plurality of fusible link devices with one link within said housing and another link within said projector.

3. In a moving picture projecting machine, a film housing, a conduit leading to said housing and carr ing a supply of fire extinguishing fluid un er pressure, said conduit being provided with an opening, means for normally closing said opening, said means comprising a plurality of fusible links with one of said links Within said housing. and the other of said links extending outside of said housing and adjacent the path of the film after it leaves said housing.

. 4. In a moving picture projecting machine, a conduit leading to said machine and carr ing a supply of fire extinguishing fluid un er pressure, said conduit being'provided with an opemng, means for normally closing said opening, said means comprising a plurality of fusible links adapted to part when the film in said machine catches fire to release said fluid and extinguish the fire, one of said links being inproximity to the portion of film being projected and another of said links being adjacent the stored film to extinguish fire in any part of the machine.

5. In a 'moving picture projecting machine, a film housing, a projector associated therewith, a container for a fire extinguishing fluid having an outlet adjacent the normal path of the film leading from said housing, means for closing said outlet, said means comprising a plurality of fusible link devices with one link within said housing and another within said projector.

(i. In a moving picture projecting machine, a film housing, a projector associated therewith, a container for a fire extinguishing fluid having an outlet adjacent the normal path of the film leading from said housing, means for closing said outlet, said'means comprising a fusible link extending into said projector whereby the combustion of the film passing through the projector will open said closing means and spray said fluid .in said projector and in said housing.

7. Ina moving picture machine, a film housing, a film within the housing, a container for fire extinguishing fluid, a nozzle leading from said container into said housing, projecting apparatus for supplying light for'projection, means to focus said light on the film'and a fusible link positioned adjacent the film exposed to the focused light for opening said nozzle .to admit said fire extinguishing liquid to said housing and to the portion of the film being projected when the temperature adjacent the link reaches a predetermined degree.

8. In a moving picture projecting machine, a film housing, a projector upon which said film housing is mounted, a con duit extending into said film housing to conduct fire extinguishing fluid into said housing, said conduit being provided with an opening adjacent the normal path of film leading from said housing, and means for closing said opening, said means comprising a plurality of fusible link devices, one of said link devices being within said projector and outside of said film housing.

9. In the moving picture art, the method of extinguishing film fires in projecting machines originating in the portion of the moving film outside the reel housing, which method comprises supplyingthe film within the reel housing with a fire extinguishin liquid substantially at the time of the ignl- "tion of the film outside the housing, and

causing said liquid to issue from the housing along the film to extinguish the burning film outside the housing. JOSEPH E. ROBIN. 

